Oil posted a large loss the first week of trading in the new year as demand uncertainty continued to hang over the market.

West Texas Intermediate settled below US$74 a barrel, posting the largest weekly loss in a month, over 8.1 per cent. Saudi Arabia cut prices for crude sold to Asia and Europe in February, signaling concerns over the near-term outlook. Meanwhile, China is battling a surge in virus cases after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, though mobility is set to rise as the Lunar New Year holidays approach.

Earlier in the session, prices pared weekly losses as a slew of US economic data indicated a resilient labor market that nevertheless may give room for the Federal Reserve to slow interest-rate hikes.

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Crude’s weak start to the year has come as forward curves continue to signal signs of oversupply. The International Monetary Fund warned this week that a third of the global economy could be in recession in 2023, while Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard signaled US interest rates weren’t yet sufficiently restrictive. 

Prices:

  • WTI for February delivery rose 10 cents to settle at US$73.77 a barrel in New York.
  • Brent for March settlement fell 12 cents to settle at US$78.57 a barrel.

Still, oil prices may exceed US$140 a barrel this year if Asian economies fully reopen after Covid-related lockdowns, according to hedge fund manager Pierre Andurand.